The Larry Kane Report

Are you star struck, or are you fed up with glittery celebs trying to determine the future of the country?

Last night was a big night for Barack Obama in Hollywood. Celebrities, including George Clooney and Denzel Washington, raised over a million dollars for his campaign for President. That is a million dollars in one night!

This comes on the heels of a new CBS News survey on Hollywood’s role in politics that was released this morning on KYW Newsradio.

It appears that the American view on celebrities getting involved in politics has changed . The CBS News Survey
shows 47 percent of the people think the stars should be involved in the process and 48 percent say they should stay out. In 2003 over 54 percent of respondents approved of celebrity politics.

Now this is interesting. 61 percent of Democrats say
yes to star politics, while just 29 percent of
Republicans think its allright.Conservatives do not like the idea of political celebrities but moderates approve by 54 percent.
Maybe Democrats and moderates go to the movies more
often. The truth is that most Americans know that Hollywood is more of a Democratic bastion. That would explain the difference.

The survey is interesting. Every citizen has a right to get involved in the political process. It would be unfair to deny anyone that opportunity. But almost half of those polled in this survey feel that celebrities are out of line. That is a big number and may be a reaction to celebrities using award shows and other venues to make their points.

One thing is sure. Senator Obama is very happy with Hollywood today - one million dollars happy.

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With health care a priority focus in the USA, and DNA research spreading quickly, a new law is in the works that could really affect your life, and we learned about it last Sunday on my Voice of Reason Show on Comcast CN 8.
Much to my surprise, Congressman Rob Andrews of South Jersey, the new chair of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health Care, said he is about to introduce a bill designed to ban discrimination based on the genetic history of your family. The Andrews idea - preventing discrimination i gaining insurance, getting a job or a loan, based on your own family’s genetic health history.

Frankly, it is something I never thought of. But imagine what discriminatory practices might prevail if someone knew that there was a history of serious illness in your family? A company might deny you an opportunity because a grandmother had cancer, or a grandfather suffered from Alzheimer’s. With the accuracy of genetic roadmaps, these important pieces of information could play havoc with your future and your children’s future.

It will be interesting to see if the Andrew’s legislation flies, and the kind of support he gets in Congress and across the nation. It would be fascinating to see if special interests emerge on this legislation, although to may be too popular to put down.

Any thoughts?

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I can’t believe it. A brawl in the suburban sprawl. Talker Michael Smerconish has got to be loving this one.
The upcoming primary battle for control of the Montgomery County Commission is enough to make Republican leaders cry.

First of all, current commissioners Jim Matthews and Tom Ellis, no political lightweights, are running hard. So is DA Bruce Caster and his declared running mate, Melissa Murphy-Weber. This is a clash of titans, with Republican National Committeeman Bob Asher, a sworn Castor enemy, watching with anxiety from the sidelines.

And then comes the Democrats. Former Congresssman Joe Hoeffel will run alongside incumbent Ruth Damsker.

The hope is that the Dems can win two of three seats in November.

Not so fast!

If Castor and Matthews win, and they gain the majority in November. Who becomes the top gun? Well, the surviving Democrat will decide! If both Democrats win two out of three in November, one of the Republicans would be the minority member.

What a potential mess.

The most interesting moment will be the Republican Primary which will be fought with the money and intensity of a Presidentil battle.

Castor has staked his future on this one. Matthews and Ellis will not be denied. Murphy-Weber is hoping that she and Castor can wipe out the incumbents.

This all reads like a political tragedy written at the moment the Roman Empire started crumblng down.

For people who watch politics like a blood sport, the usually quiet and boring Republican Primary for Commissioner in Montgomery Countyt may be the wildest primary ever in the history of a county once known as the most Republican in America.

Enjoy the Philadelphia Mayor’s Race. I will. But keep an eye on the prize in Norristown.

Anger. Money. Ambition. Raw Power.

It’s a the real-life novel in Norristown.

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Milton Street, under indictment and apparently a resident of New Jersey, is filing papers to run for Mayor of Philadelphia. The crafty and unpredictable brother of the Mayor doesn’t stand a chance.

So what is he up to?

First of all, this is the first time in American history, I think, that a person has announced for public office after being indicted.

If he can get on the ballot and stay there, Street becomes a potentially impactful member of the field. The few thousand votes he will get may just be enough to determines who wins in a five man field. The sixth man could lose big, but determine the winner.

A big question remains - is he announcing to delay his trial? That is doubtful. So what are the motives? Certainly he doesn’t gain from Mayor Street’s approval ratings, which are very low.

Maybe he just likes to stay in the spotlight, or perhaps in a moment of machismo and brilliance, he sees something in this contest that the rest of us are missing. Am I being too kind?

I’ve said from the beginning that the winner in the Democratic Primary will win by a few thousand votes. If Milton Street can prove that he’s a Philadelphis resident, he could play a role in determining the outcome.

It is all still unreal.

Am I really writing this story?

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General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, is an outspoken leader. This time, the Marine veteran directly contradicted White House and Military sources who said that deadly bomb parts that killed American soldiers came from the “highest levels” of the Iranian government.

The General did say that they came from Iran, but he denied that they were sent by the Iranian government. All of this makes you wonder who is telling the truth. Peter Pace is the same General who doubted the potential impact of the troop surge, and defended the right of lawmakers to criticize the war.

Interesting.

The General’s boss is the President. His candor is shocking and perhaps enlightening if his assertions can be backed up.

Meanwhile, in the middle of the mania over Anna Nicole , the incredulous wild ride of an astronaut, and the slow pace of the Democratic Majority, mainstream media may be missing a story - an overt challenge to the government leakers who may ne itching for a showdowm with the iranians.

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